Summary of Chrysopilus thoracicus, golden-backed snipe fly, sightings at a Barnes Prairie Hedgerow, Racine Co., WI from 2015-2022

Barnes Prairie, Racine Co., WI consists of several small, pre-settlement tallgrass prairie remnants. One of these remnants is bordered by a narrow hedgerow, approximately 6 feet wide. Plants in the hedgerow include, but are not limited to, bur oak, sugar maple, green ash (dead trees with sprouts at the base), snowberry, gray dogwood, Virginia creeper, river grape, common buckthorn, aster species, goldenrod species, thimbleweed, wood violet, mayapple, Solomon’s seal, starry false Solomon’s seal and enchanter’s nightshade.

Surveys for Chrysopilus thoracicus, golden-backed snipe fly, were made weekly at this hedgerow between 2015 and 2022, from mid-May through August. The earliest date this fly was observed was on May 25, and the latest it was seen was June 24. A summary by month, day and year, that this fly was observed/photographed, and the plant it was on, follows.

Date, No. of flies seen, Plant flies were on

May 25, 2021, 1, aster leaf

May 29, 2021, 1, aster leaf

June 1, 2020, 2 m/f mating, not recorded

June 1, 2021, 1, not recorded

June 2, 2021, 1, not recorded

June 3, 2016, 1, goldenrod leaf

June 3, 2021, 2 m/f mating, aster or goldenrod leaf

June 3, 2021, 1, mayapple leaf

June 4, 2015, 1, aster leaf

June 4, 2021, 1, not recorded

June 4, 2022, 1, bishop’s weed leaf